The Young and the Restless: Contemporary Theatre of Ohio Production Focuses on Anxiety

Anxiety among kids seems to be at an all-time high coming out of the pandemic, and a new play premiering in Columbus this winter is taking aim at the problem. “The Worries of Wesley (Or: How I Learned to Stop Having Anxiety, or Not Really, But I am Trying)” brings to life the trials of an anxious youngster figuring out how to tamp down anxiety, or at least live with it, with the help of friends, family and emotions. 

“I know it speaks to issues that really matter in the world right now,” says Leda Hoffmann, artistic director of the Contemporary Theatre of Ohio (formerly CATCO), which is staging the 45-minute show from Jan. 26-Feb. 4 at the Riffe Center. “We’ve seen the effects of the pandemic, and the play addresses the things people are worried about and the complexities of young people’s lives.” 

The play was one of several new works that were part of a festival the Contemporary held in 2022, and the response by the young people in the audience convinced Hoffmann that it should be part of the 2023 season. While it’s billed as a play for ages 8 to 14 and their families, it’s appropriate for children 5 and up, Hoffmann says. 

The cast is made up of two adults and three children, and a talkback will be held after each show so the audience can ask them questions. To extend the play’s reach beyond the performances, “Wesley” will be filmed and offered free for schools and families to view, along with a discussion guide to help expand conversations about anxiety, Hoffmann says. 

“It’s so critically important for people to see this story,” she says. “It’s more important than ever to help kids talk about their feelings.” 

Playwright Jessica Moss says many of the characters in her plays have nervous energy like Wesley, whom she describes as “the worst version of my younger self” with attributes that she often was criticized for but now finds herself admiring. 

“She’s smart, fast, kind, impatient, analytical and curious, and her best friend is her brain,” says Moss, who lives in Toronto. In the play, some of the characters are Wesley’s body parts and are performed by puppets who remind her, for example, to take a deep breath when anxiety begins to creep in.  

“Kids are dealing with so many things, and I wanted to write something that would offer some sense of comfort and community,” she says. “Something that looks at, ‘Why am I feeling like I’m feeling? How can we survive this world?’ ” 

Despite its premise, the show is nothing like a lecture on anxiety, Hoffmann says. “It’s really fun and full of these puppet moments and beautiful characters,” she says. “It can be very, very funny and is incredibly hopeful and full of joy.” 

This story is from the January 2024 issue of Columbus Monthly.